Sca Fell from Boot in Eskdale - Route.
Distance: 9 miles / 14½ kilometers
Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Grade: Difficult/Strenuous
Map: OS Explorer OL6 - The English Lakes: South Western Area
Start Point: Boot Inn car park, Boot, Eskdale
Grid Reference: NY 176 010
Nearest Post Code: CA19 1TG
| Serial | Distance | Grid Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 0.00 miles | NY 176 010 | From the Boot Inn turn left along the road heading north. The road crosses a 17th century packhorse bridge over Whillan Beck by the Eskdale Mill. |
| 02 | 150 yards | NY 176 013 | Once over the 17th Century bridge at Eskdale Mill, pass through the gate and turn right, the track goes behind the mill and then left before reaching a gate on the right that is signposted to Burnmoor Tarn via Coffin Route. Head through this gate on to what is known as the 'Coffin Route'. |
| 03 | 0.25 miles | NY 177 015 | The path climbs steadily and passes a wood on the right. After the wood the views open up to the east looking over the Whillan Beck valley towards Little and Great Barrow. |
| 04 | 2.25 miles | NY 187 043 | Follow the path across the moorland and passing Burnmoor Lodge (NY 183 041) on the left, arriving at Burnmoor Tarn.
A walk to this point, is a great short easy 4.5 mile linear (there and back) walk, an ideal place for a picnic. Follow the eastern shoreline of Burnmoor Tarn to reach Bulatt Bridge. |
| 05 | 2.50 miles | NY 187 046 | Cross over the bridge and turn right and follow a faint path that heads in a north east direction beside Hardrigg Gill now to the right. The path reaches a small ruined building at the bottom of the Hard Rigg ridge. |
| 06 | 3.25 miles | NY 190 052 | Continue on the path as it bears north east, the path is steep at first but levels off on the top of the ridge. The peat land can be very boggy after rain! |
| 07 | 3.50 miles | NY 193 057 | After crossing the peat land, continue heading north east where the peat land turns to lose stone and can be precarious in places, which now gets very steep and unstable in places. This is a hard slog but will bring you right out on the summit of Sca Fell |
| 08 | 4.00 miles | NY 206 065 | The summit of Sca Fell has no trig point pillar, just a small cairn of stones. On a clear day the panoramic views are amazing. |
| 09 | 4.75 miles | NY 210 057 | From the summit of Sca fell descend south east along the obvious wide ridge of Long Green to Slight Side, offering great views of the area. |
| 10 | 5.25 miles | NY 210 049 | At Horn Crag the path bears south west then south off Slight Side down fairly steep ground, passing Cat Cove to a junction where the path forks. |
| 11 | 5.75 miles | NY 208 040 | Take the right fork and continue to descend over marshy land, the path continues to bend south west with Stony Tarn on the left. |
| 12 | 7.50 miles | NY 198 026 | Continue passed Stony Tarn all the way to Eel Tarn. |
| 13 | 7.75 miles | NY 190 019 | At Eel Tarn the path bears right along the north eastern shore of Eel Tarn then make a sharp left turn then right turn to a fork junction in the path. |
| 14 | 8.00 miles | NY 188 022 | Turn left at the junction to head south west to a fork in the path. |
| 15 | 8.50 miles | NY 180 015 | Bear right at the fork junction and follow the path heading south west for about half a mile, back in to the village of Boot where the walk started. The Boot Inn is recommended for some fine refreshment before leaving. |